Any book that deals with infertility, miscarriage and failed adoptions is not going to be an easy read. Yet Jennifer Saake has done readers a great service in writing this book as it deals with the heartbreak felt by those who look for a longed for child and are left empty handed. The author speaks from painful experience, having lost ten children through miscarriage or failed adoptions. While she now enjoys the blessing of two children Joshua and Ruth, her many years of struggle with childlessness led to the writing of this book ? which is part bible study and application, part life story and journals, part resource and very certainly part encouragement and people struggle through the stages of grief. This book records the anger, grief, longing, isolation, questions, struggles, tears, sorrows and answered prayers along the journey of childbearing. It shows our humanity and discouragements but it very tenderly shows us that others do share our pains and burdens, both practically and in prayer and we have an all-seeing, all knowing God who knows His plans and purposes for us. The book title ?Hannah?s Hope? refers to the Hannah found in the first two chapters of the First Book of Samuel. Throughout the book, parallels are offered between the infertility or sterility experienced by prospective parents today and her situation then. While I buckle slightly at the elaboration of the details offered to us in the Bible as being an ?imagining? and ?fictionalised look?, I don?t doubt that the intent is good. I can certainly see that the application set against a variety of true-life stories will be helpful to many who are at different stages of planning their family. Clearly some will read this with joy and some with tears, but this is a much needed and useful book. I would say that it has a searing honesty in some of its chapters on themes such as prayer, faith and compassion of people in the wider church, how churches deal with the pain of losing a child and a very personal yet universal meditation on anguish and grief. A useful addition to a church library.

I found this book shortly after my first miscarriage when I was desperate to read something on it from a Christian perspective. This author shares her own stories and offers lots of practical advice. This book is ideal not only for the grieving parent(s) but also for friends and family that want to support others going through all of this.